This year the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg decided to put some presents under the tree that can’t be bought, wrapped, or delivered: pride, dignity and self-sufficiency.

Members of the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg distributed hundreds of Christmas gifts to needy children and families during the past 15 years through their annual Giving Tree program.

The congregation would select a local group, donate various items and distribute them in time for Christmas Day. Recipients included women and their children from the Woodside Detention Center, Head Start families and students from the Joshua Group

But this year the congregation decided to put some presents under the tree that can’t be bought, wrapped or delivered: pride, dignity and self-sufficiency.

Trish Brandon, director of Religious Growth & Learning, explained that members underwent some serious soul searching after reading “Toxic Charity” by Robert Lupton.

“The book explains how such giving, while well intended, makes the donors feel good at a price. The charity can be a painful and undignified experience for recipients,” Brandon said.

Giving gifts to disadvantaged children can take a toll on the self-esteem and pride of their parents, Brandon explained.

“In his book, Lupton explains that when pretty wrapped gifts are donated to a family, the father -- or head of the house -- is emasculated in their own home in front of their family for not being able to provide presents for them,” she said.

“In some cases the mother is forced to shield her children from their father’s embarrassment. The children get the message that the ‘good stuff’ comes from rich people and is free.”

Lupton urges churches and charitable organizations to re-evaluate the ways they help the poor. His theory is an interesting one: the needy become dependent on charity and eventually begin feeling judged, inferior and worthless.

And in the long run, the only people helped by this form of “toxic charity” are the ones doing the giving, he said.

Inspired by Lupton’s call to action, the Unitarian Church will sponsor the Santa Shop from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, at the church, 1508 Market St. Church members hope the new program will empower 43 children ages 4 through 4th grade to make their own Christmas memories, instead of having them handed over by strangers.

Each of the children performed at least 15 minutes of service at the church in October and November, permitting them to shop for gifts in the special Christmas store. The children “experience the dignity of having worked for what they receive,” Brandon said.

“Most of the children worked at picking up trash around the outside of the church or helped to clean up after our community breakfast. There is excitement, pride and joy in choosing and giving gifts for others,” Brandon said.

Brandon said some of the children enjoyed volunteering so much at the church that they came back several times, surpassing their required 15 minutes.

“They knew they didn’t have to and wouldn’t get more for it, but they liked to do it. Parents seemed proud and came out too, some of them picked up trash too,” she said.

Each child can select from six to 10 different gifts for family and friends, and one for himself. No money is involved. A volunteer Santa Helper will be paired with each child to select and wrap the gifts.

“The word ‘presents’ triggered a lot of excitement and eagerness to participate. The children understood that if they did some work they would earn something,” Brandon said.

“The children who are too old to participate were disappointed they couldn’t perform service and shop too. A couple of middle school girls from the neighborhood who now attend our church are excited to be Santa Helpers. And they’re excited that their younger siblings get to participate.”

The Santa Shop helps end the cycle of “one-way giving” that should be limited to emergency situations such as illness or natural disaster, Brandon said.

“One-way giving implies that the recipient has nothing of value the giver desires in return. When handouts are given to the poor there is a progression: first the giving elicits appreciation; followed by the creation of anticipation; then expectation until it becomes entitlement and dependency,” she said.

The Santa Shop marks the local church’s first step into performing charitable works based on “reciprocal exchange,” built on give-and-take relationships instead of just give-and-give, Brandon said.

“A clothing bank or food program where people can work in exchange for items or purchase items at a discount price, is dignified for recipients and incorporates important principles related to giving people a hand up, not a hand out.”